Welcome to Madrid, the capital of Spain and one of the most astonishing cities all over the world! As we know, Madrid is not only the capital of the country but also the capital of the province and the autonomous community of Madrid.
Madrid is the youngest city in Europe. It history begins in 852 BC but nowadays Madrid can compete with such cities as Paris or New York. Wonderful art galleries, monuments of history, charming squares and parks and at the same time unique nightlife distinguish this astonishing city. The most famous museum in Madrid and, be sure, also in Spain is Prado Museum. It's located in the very heart of the capital. Madrid strikes a balance between constant, almost chaotic motion and uncompromising leisure.
Preparing for trip you have to find out more about hotels in Madrid. The capital of Spain counts over 300 hotels. There is the wide choice of hotels to all tastes. Madrid hotels are located in different parts of the city, so you can choose the most convenient for you. Look through the catalogues, ask your friends or colleagues who has already been to Madrid (usually their opinion seem to be more precise) to tell you about hotel they stayed at. Also you can ask your travel agent to show you the most popular hotels or the hotels' rating that help you in choosing the right one. Also you can ask the agent to advise you the hotel which fits you most of all. You can choose hotels which are situated in the heart of Madrid, near the famous attractions or near beautiful parks. Sure, several of them can cost enough, but there are a lot of special offers for hotels in Madrid. Just look through the thematic sites in internet or show interest in your travel agency.
Being a visitor in Madrid, you'll invariably be drawn into the city's stream of movement as you rush to see one more art collection, taste Castilian, Basque or Galician dishes at neighborhood restaurants or buy tickets for evening performance. But take a brake and incorporate quiet time into your hectic schedule. Have a seat and quietly study the mystical quality in El Greco's paintings or the refined hint of saffron in a dish or the mournful beauty of flamenco.
All over the world you can meet people who say that Madrid is the capital of nightlife. Madrilenos, i.e. those who live in Madrid, seem always to be on the go, except time when they are taking long breaks to eat, drink and enjoy life.
During week-ends or holidays don't be surprised if somewhere, at 4, or 5, or 6 a.m. you will get involved in a traffic jam. Madrilenos, like all Spaniards in general, don't stay in the same local for all the night, they prefer to change all the time, from one to the other. The competing urges to move and sit for hours are cleverly reconciled in the institution known as "ir de tapas", which entails hopping leisurely from tapas bar to tapas bar. However, at 4 a.m. few people are on their way to work!
Younger madrilenos often dance all night, stop off for chocolate y churros (a churro is a sweet, fried pastry-based snack, popular in Spain) at dawn, go home, take shower, shave, and go to work. This nightlife, called la movida or la marcha and initially focussed on the Plaza del Dos de Mayo. However, as prices continue to rise and more jobs become available, Madrid nightlife is becoming more and more like that of other European cities such as Stockholm or Munich.